Aborted raid on the Prime Minister’s palace in Mahazoarivo: 17 militaries and reserve troops behind bars.

The FIS and the Emmo Reg have successfully thwarted an attempted raid on the palace of Mahazoarivo. Lt Colonel Lylson’s squadron has been alerted by tips coming of the Andrimasompokonolona, the standard name for patrolling groups of citizens. Acting soldiers and reserve troops together with some civilians were supposed to join  by day a building located in Ambohijanaka, in the Atsimondrano district. According to Lt-Colonel Lylson, they were supposed to leave the house belonging to a civilian to complete their mission on Sunday night. The target was the Prime minister’s office.  

Everything fell through for these new rebels. According to the FIS reports, the raiders’ rally point was supposed to be Mahamasina, not very far from the Sainte Famille college. One of them, happening to be a reserve trooper, has been captured in this area. For lack of place in the 4wd car, he had to wait for the next extraction round. Having been arrested, then interrogated, the man owed it up. Still according to the explanations produced by Lt Colonel Lylson, using the reserve trooper as a decoy has proved enough to trap a master sergeant later arrested in Tanjombato. Some involved officers’ names popped up.  

The rebels’ hideaway being identified, the FIS and the National Police finally triggered the boggey trap and led the arrests. There has been no shoot out although weapons had been drawn. The scene of half naked kneeling men, hands tight behind the neck, and gun pointed by soldiers was the shocking conclusion of it. It is supposed to be the classic procedure when the suspects are soldiers. The FIS media offensive is released.  

The scoop is, however, still to be coming. Three individuals coming up in a 4WD are being arrested on live. They are ordered to step out of from the vehicle at gunpoint by the FIS commando troopers. “A couple of lieutenants and a reserve trooper more” reported Lt-Colonel Lylson. Still in the run of the live show, the FIS is striving to trap some other elements by ordering a suspect to make calls.  

The FIS seized some military equipment. “They have been told to bring combat uniforms, those who couldn’t do so, would have been supplied” told the squadron’s commander. Weapons were meant to be shared in Mahazoarivo, shortly before the action”. The raiders have been provided with the security system’s password as well as tactical data like the number of guards.  

“All of the armed forces’ divisions are alerted and retaliation will be hard”, warned Lt Colonel Lylson. The FIS commander confirmed that a wave of arrest is on its way. The pro-Ravalomanana officers have things to worry about. The HAT member Alain Ramaroson and the Lt Colonel Lylson jointly stated that the operation would have been financed by an officer supplied by the former president. The rebels would have been granted 40,000 ariary, quite a low reward for a so risky operation.